The Heart of War
by xentrya
Summary: After a long awaited victory, ahead of her loyal troops, the Warrior Princess passes through a very unusual town. Her curiosity-or maybe it was destiny itself- pushes her to take some very drastic decisions, her reckless choices having the capacity to influence her future with Ares...What will the War God do? Will they be able to face these new challenges?
1. Figuring things out

For the dozenth time or so during that last half an hour, Ares opened a blasted portal just to furiously close it again seconds later, unable to watch for more than a meaningless instant the image it was showing, and every single time, a snarky, exasperated huff would explode from his chest, along with a gut-wrenching pain, unlike any other he had felt before…

The sight of the eunuch's strong, oily fingers gliding up and down his Princess' back, drawing circles and patterns on her soft, velvety skin was simply sickening. Judging by her transfixed expression though, the man was doing a pretty decent job easing the tension in her muscles, but his bothering obsession with stroking the outer contour of her breasts as he **accidentally** moved past them, was driving the War God up the wall . If the poor guy hadn't been castrated and if his former master hadn't taken the precaution to turn him blind as well, he would have materialized there and he would have cut off his filthy hands!

Indeed, never in his life had he felt so angry about such an apparently insignificant thing….And yet, the pain coming from that vicious stab he had been trying to ignore ever since he saw her half naked and lying carelessly on that massage table- a thin satin sheet covering her sexy butt being the only piece of fabric placed between her and that accursed masseur - now that was something that he just couldn't deny…..

Apart from that, from the instant she left, his mind was a mess. Time and time again his brain had replayed their conversation, going over every word that had been spoken , looking for hidden meanings, for secret messages, making an effort to read between the lines-hoping that something would magically shed some light on what had happened-…..Something must have surely upset her, something he had done or said, something…something that for the love of the nine muses, he just couldn't bring himself to understand….

Closing his eyes along with the portal, he slumped even more into his throne and fervently began rubbing his temples as their awkward dialogue assaulted him again….

Unconsciously, he frowned the moment he could hear her voice- that impossibly addictive melody that had enslaved him to the point where he could no longer deny her anything- echoing so clearly inside his head as if she were there…..Nothing had foreseen this absurd intention of her to leave….and after all, did she actually leave? What did her departure even mean? Was this a …..a…..break up? What did this woman want? Was she trying to drive him crazy? Was she just playing with him? Was this some kind of test that he had to pass? Women were highly illogical beings, that much he knew, but with Xena, things seemed to be completely different, and that was what had drawn him to her like a bloody magnet….There was order in all that chaos ruling over her young, ambitious mind, a strict discipline that not even the most experienced of his generals owned….She was an enigma, an inviting puzzle that just waited to be solved, a challenging enough project to solicit his undivided attention …In short, she was magnetizing, and once she had walked out that door, a very eerie feeling took over him….an unfamiliar, disturbing sensation as if something of great importance- a vital organ maybe- had been ripped from within him the instant her flawless silhouette got engulfed by the thick blanket of dust that her horse had left behind…

 _" We need to talk…." she bluntly announced the minute he entered her tent, staring at him worriedly, as always, those mesmerizing baby blues making his heart skip a few beats when his glance met hers._

 _" Do we now?! I bet you can easily come up with several other activities we can do instead- less boring that talking of course…." he casually joked, taking her hand in his and courteously bringing it to his lips. " I haven't seen you today…..You look absolutely ravishing " he then murmured, tucking away a stray strand of hair behind her ear while silently wondering what kind of dark, ancient magic the little witch had used to have him so entranced with her …._

 _Her presence was like a drug, her absence was like a wild fire for his soul and her fragrance- that discreet jasmine scent of her skin- appeared to be forever imprinted in his senses…..Even when she was not there, he could still feel her, and one single thought could make even the oldest memory they shared, surface into his mind as if it had only happened a blink of an eye before….._

 _" How was your morning drill? Everything ok?! " he then asked, visibly troubled now by her unusual seriousness. She wasn't the type to wear a beaming smile on her face all day long- regardless of how beautiful she looked when that rare event did happen- but still, through their bond, he could easily feel how tense she was and for some reason, that gave him the chills…._

 _" Yeah….I nearly sprained an ankle during a high jump but I'm f….." she started to let him know- on a tone so casual and unaffected as if she was talking about the most ordinary thing in the world- but before she got the chance to finish her little story, the War God was already kneeling at her feet, and she couldn't really tell when and where her leather boots had disappeared, but they were definitely gone, thus giving Ares the needed access to check her out…._

 _" It is a bit swollen. Does it hurt?" he inquired, sounding overly protective and concerned._

 _" No….I'm fine. It's nothing .I should have been more careful, that's all…I lost my balance when I landed…It's silly." she hurriedly explained, walking away from him. Nonetheless, she had only managed to take a couple of steps before his warm hands rested on her shoulders, and despite herself, she stopped dead in her tracks as if his touch alone could keep her a prisoner in that precise spot- until the end of time if needed…._

 _" It happens….." he huskily whispered into hear ear, his words stroking over her nerves, vibrating teasingly throughout her entire body." Just try to stay in one piece until the battle of Torrance ….you'll need both arms and both legs for that one, trust me….."_

 _" That's like months away…." she lowly murmured, letting her breath out in a long, relaxing sigh when he began massaging her ….Gods that felt good- so damn good that just leaning into him, and allowing her every cell to enjoy that contact felt more than wonderful….it felt natural….._

 _" Yeah well, you know what they say…. **better safe than sorry** ….."_

 _" On the other hand, playing it safe wouldn't help me perfect that jump, am I right? One cannot refuse to eat just because there is a chance of being chocked!"_

 _"Just be careful…..Can you do that for me?" he softly inquired, turning her around to face him._

 _" I can try." she replied, brushing her gorgeous lips against his as she spoke ,and yet, despite the apparent invitation, she broke free from his embrace before he took the opportunity to turn their intimate nearness into one of those possessive, fiery kisses she loved so much and that would have indubitably dissolved her determination to do what she had set her mind to…." As I said….we need to talk…" she repeated, clearing her throat while mentally chasing her fears away._

 _This time, he no longer closed the gap between them, too focused on analyzing her every change in expression while really struggling to anticipate what it was that had caused her restlessness…..That constantly mounting tension was definitely alarming…and her slightly sweaty palms, that barely perceivable but present change in breath, her clumsy, defensive pose as she finally stopped moving…Something was definitely not right….He tried not to frown at what he was seeing, but his own anxiety was doing a number on him and thus he only ended up making her even more edgy._

 _"Ok…." he hesitantly answered, frustration clearly present in his voice, and that particular frustration escalated to unbearable levels when she took her sweet time - wetting her lips- to find a satisfying enough way in which to tell him whatever it was she felt the need to…._

 _" I uh…." she started, and the God's every muscle instantly stiffened in expectation, arching a quizzical eyebrow while waiting for the rest of her sentence…._

 _" I need some time away from here….." her wish finally came out, hitting him like a pile of bricks. What was she saying?!_

 _"Pardon?"_

 _"….I have to figure some things out…" she stated, on that same calm, serene note that didn't precisely match the intensity of the earthquake that was currently shaking the War God's heart and everything else inside him._

 _" What things?" he demanded to know, immediately pressing his lips together as if fearing that any additional word would just get him into an even bigger mess….Why was he even in a mess in the first place?"_

 _"It's personal…" the ambiguous, unconvincing response was given, leaving him agape._

 _ **" Personal** … **..?"** he deliberately pushed, but when she just nodded her reply, without adding any further information, he couldn't help himself. "Just how personal, darling? Is there anything I can do to help?" the question left his lips, sounding uncommonly genuine coming from him..._

 _" No….it's something I have to figure out on my own….." she partly clarified, reluctant about actually revealing the mystery…_

 _" Is there anything I need to know?"_

 _He was met with a deadly silence that would have made any man on the face of the earth panic though and with a hasty change of position- under the pretext that she wanted a glass of water from the table- a clear clue of just how nervous she was. It was no wonder that without warning, his legs felt as if they weighed at least a tone each….He tried to move, to get to her, but he could hardly focus on anything else than the possible meaning of her request …"Is this about … **us**?" he heard himself asking flat out, finding it hard to believe that he had actually voiced that ridiculous question….If he kept acting like this, he would soon be the laughing stock of Olympus!_

 _She just shook her head in response….Was that for the first question or the second he silently asked himself, his heart swiftly changing its rhythm and to his surprise, it was drumming into his temples now- one the most unnerving sensations he had ever experienced….._

 _" It's just for a few days, Ares. I need some space…I need to be away from all this for awhile…."_

 _" Well…..can't you figure out whatever it is that you think you need to…? " he began asking, just to start a totally different question the moment he heard the rest of her line. " Away from… **me**?"_

 _" You're blowing this way out of proportion." she answered, turning around again, but when their glances met, he could instantly see it….the distress in her eyes- her previously azure moons were now like a dark, wild sea during a storm…._

 _" Princess…..what's wrong….? Was it something I said...something I did…?"_

 _" Nothing…" she struggled to articulate, unconsciously lowering her gaze…She was lying…..She was lying to him….._

 _"And uh….just where is it that you want to go? Do you have a place in mind? "_

 _"I was thinking Santorini…."_

 _His wondering gaze kept lingering on her face as if waiting for her to tell him that she was joking…She obviously wasn't._

 _" A beautiful island….quite peaceful these days….." he absently remarked, after a long, tormenting pause._

 _She just forced a smile on her lips- one that appeared particularly bitter to him._

 _When he finally took those few steps in her direction, and was once again just a breath away, he could finally hear her heart...It was hammering just as loud as his own….._

 _" Do you want me to take you there? "_

 _" No…..I'd rather ride."_

 _" That's like three days away, Xena!" he exclaimed. By Hades, what was going on?!_

 _" I don't mind….."_

 _For once, he had no idea how to react….Was he supposed to say something, to forcefully pull the words out of her mouth?! To forbid her to go anywhere?! He could do that, and he would normally have done it without the slightest hesitation, but there was something in her eyes that told him not to…..that begged him not to fight her on this…_

 _" Call me if you need me…." he simply stated, vanishing from sight the very following second…From the aether, unseen by mortal eyes, he watched her leave, and for the first time in his long immortal life, a weird, agonizing sensation took over him…..he felt as if a millstone had fallen over his heart, crushing it ….For the first time in eons, he was scared….._


	2. Spoiled brat

**AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU DEAR REVIEWERS AND READERS FOR YOUR UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT:) I SURE HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS FIC.:)**

" That's it! Enough is enough!" the infuriated War God growled tempestuously, literally jumping from his comfortable ebony throne as if he had been sitting on spikes when the blind eunuch's skillful hands pushed gently the satin sheet an inch lower down his Princess' ass, up to her sacrum...

A wave of destructive fury mixed with acute jealousy , frustration and limitless outrage washed over the handsome Olympian at seeing the immense joy engraved on the nitwit's face- who, thoroughly convinced that having some fun on the job couldn't possibly hurt- was now fondling **his** property as if there were no tomorrow ….And yes, the guy might have been an expert masseur and whatever not, but he was definitely going to have his head ripped off- no doubt about it- 'cause, if the fuming God had been barely capable to suppress his anger minutes earlier- when, as much as he disliked what he was seeing, all the man's moves appeared to be the regular, standard ones he would use with all his clients, now that the clueless idiot was getting bolder and bolder, Ares' chest began to rise and fall at a remarkably fast tempo, the venomous gaze in his eyes predicting in a fairly accurate manner that the man's spirit was gracelessly about to leave the earthly realm soon- and not necessarily for a better existence….

Nope...Definitely no more waiting! Why in Tartarus had he even agreed to her ludicrous idea, in the first place? He was the freaking God of War for crying out loud, not some petty mortal she could toy with however and whenever she felt like it! Whatever it was that had been bothering her, she would have to tell him-and by the head of Zeus he had every intention to get it out of her one way or the other- and then, there would be nothing left for him to do but take her back to the Halls of War. Eventually, things would go back to normal of course- starting with their rough but useful morning drills and ending with him watching her like a hawk throughout the rest of the day while she would be busy bossing her men around.

In short, these were pretty much the wild thoughts that were crossing the War God's industrious mind as he entered the aether- his arms, folded tensely across his chest and one foot- encased in a heavy leather boot- tapping the ground impatiently, revealing essential information about the crappy mood he was in. A blink later, in the easily noticeable absence of the regular light show, of the supernatural effects and sounds - **very** unlike him, may I add- Ares materialized right next to the massage table on which his Princess was still lying without a care in the world.

Now...uh.. normally, we all know that the next image we were supposed to see had inevitably something to do with a sharp blade, a flying head and enough blood to feed Lamia herself and at least a dozen thirsty Harpies, but though his fingers were twitching anxiously to just dig themselves as deep into his victim's neck as possible- obviously looking for the perfect grip and angle to break it- as he cast another glance at Xena's incredibly relaxed body, another type of instinct, considerably stronger than the criminal one that had been clouding his reason, urged him to act a tad differently.

That's precisely why, instead of sticking to the so called brilliant plan he had managed to come up with, the still furious God simply waved his hand over the man's unnaturally crooked body, choosing to send him to some secluded forest in the snowy mountains of Macedonia instead, a place deserted enough to have him killed- if not by the starving wolves at least by the icy cold winds sweeping over the area- long before daylight - a hard enough punishment, that, at least in his opinion, equaled the man's unconscious, nerve racking audacity- that for the past few hours had made him pace up and down his throne room like a restless, caged animal…

It is pointless to mention I guess- given how strikingly explicit the situation was- that the quick tempered Olympian had a problem- and despite his countless moral flaws and his boundless arrogance, even he could tell it.

Truth was that this unprecedented obsession -that he had slowly started to develop for his raven haired Chosen- imperceptibly took over his mind- preventing him to think straight and to take any type of rational decisions when it came to **her-** an undeniable reality the effects of which kept screaming at him just how out of line he was …And yet, despite the risks he was aware he was taking, his heart refused to obey his silently barked orders and defiantly kept hammering louder and louder against his chest whenever she was around. To simply say that he was **thrilled** with this new preoccupation of his, would have been terribly unfair, given the uncommon intensity of his eons and eons of boredom, he finally had a hobby, pleasing both to the soul and to the eye…No wonder he was totally entranced with her persona ….She was something new, something that kept him alert 24/7 and that – strangely enough- made him look forward to the accursed sun to rise - although he usually preferred darkness along with the rare protection that only the grim mantle of the night sky could offer- the perfect time to plot, scheme and to come up with brilliant strategies, definitely the right time to organize surprise attacks and to win wars…..

Only a mere moment had passed since the eunuch vanished from the room, but for Ares, it felt like hours….He was now staring at his Princess with wide, open eyes, a transfixed expression on his face as she let out a soft, absent sigh, as if he were staring at some out of this world masterpiece. The problem was that she hadn't flinched a muscle though since he got there, and that worried him a bit, but, soon enough, the God came to realize that the reason why she hadn't reacted in any way to his presence was because she was asleep…..Her mind had probably evaded reality during that accursed massage session, and despite all the rage that was still boiling inside him, the War God suddenly found himself laughing uncontrollably at the whole scene…..There he was, burning like a torch, wrath consuming him like stubble while his Princess was probably wandering in one of Morpheus' dreamlands….It was unbelievably hilarious, he had to admit it to himself as he got even closer to her, resting his warm hand on her calf before it began gliding slowly up- moving lazily over that thin satin sheet that had drawn his attention from the very begging. Indeed, for the past two hours or so, he had been fantasizing like a sex addict about pulling that accursed piece of fabric - tortuously slow- towards the base of her spine, and even lower still, eventually exposing her nice, round ass cheeks to him….It was an image to die for!

His teeth sunk violently into his lower lip in response to one of the dirtiest scenarios his brain had ever projected- with her as a main character- as his eyes roamed wantonly over her back, following unhurriedly the path traced by his faintly glowing fingertips. She was gorgeous, absolutely breathtaking- in every sense of the word- and it wasn't long until hunger was clearly reflected on his divine visage.

She had only been gone for a week- a whole damned, agonizingly endless week, to be more specific- and his body was already aching for her in ways that he wouldn't have imagined possible….He tried to keep his mind busy of course, and a few scattered battles here and there sounded like a pretty decent idea in the beginning, but his little play dates only ended in disaster. Heck, one night he even made an effort to amuse himself by seducing one of Athena's priestesses- knowing how much his sister would hate him for it afterwards- but sadly, the poor girl was so ungifted when it came to any type of sexual activity that she only managed to get him even more frustrated and thus even angrier….Much to his disappointment, their romantic one on one ended with his abrupt disappearance from the room, leaving his horribly inexperienced partner kneeling in front of an empty an armchair - where she had been desperately struggling to unbuckle the War God's belt- for what must have been about half an hour by the time he decided that he just couldn't take any more clumsiness... . Naturally, he could have helped her, but on the other hand, the woman was a complete idiot, so he stubbornly refused to do so.

Despite himself, the small smirk playing across his face only widened even more at the thought. What was it about her that made him boil over? He didn't have the slightest clue, no valid answer to shatter the doubts he had regarding his own sanity- it had never happened before , you see, for him to be so very enraptured with a woman- and yet, she had captivated him to the point where he had left everything at sixes and sevens and just ran after her like a mindless puppy….

While all kinds of ideas and images kept whirling and whirling ceaselessly inside his head, his eager hand kept advancing automatically, trailing up the Warrior Princess' back, and, seconds later, as a confirmation that he was doing an amazingly good job, she let out another soft, contended sigh as he added a bit more pressure to that light, sensual caress…That perfect curve of her spine and her slightly bronzed, velvety skin- glimmering in the faint morning light- was driving him wild. She was such a damn sexy, impossible to ignore woman! What he loved the most about their relationship and about their connection in general though, was precisely this- her responsiveness to his nearness, the fact that even at an unconscious level, her brain could tell he was there- a veiled, barely perceivable presence for sure, but, beyond question, her aura had charged instantly with a different type of energy as he made an appearance….

Indeed, from the very moment he had materialized by her side, Xena's body had detected his presence- just as quickly as the sensation of an unexpected but extremely pleasant physical contact had registered even in the last nerve of her slightly trembling body the moment his fingertips touched her leg…There would have been no way for him to actually get anywhere near her without her knowing it, for the impact he had on her was unmistakable- even her heart had changed automatically its rhythm as his palms started moving along her sides, in straight lines or ample circles until they reached her shoulder blades. As he delicately headed back down her spine, her body suddenly started to respond to all these tender manipulations, and relaxation was no longer what she was feeling, but lust….

Even in that trance like state, despite the comforting numbness of her body, Xena's mind became fully alert when she felt that overly familiar tingle down her spine, and there it was, a deep enough moan that let him know that she was craving for more….No surprise there…- after all, despite having only been together in little over a year, he knew pretty well what she liked and what she didn't like…He could play her like a piano and actually getting her to surrender to him, assiduously struggling to tame her, had gradually become his major goal in life…

A few minutes later he could also sense her change in breathing. She was fully awake now and almost instinctively, leaning down, the God began to nuzzle the back of her neck, kissing his way up to her ear, and there it was- the desired effect- For the shortest moment, the Warrior Princess held her breath, focusing her entire attention on the sound of his voice as his lips grazed her ear lobe.

" If driving me completely crazy was your intention all along, I'm here to tell you it worked…..The Halls of War are empty without you and wars are no fun without you around…." he whispered, rubbing her lips with her thumb as she raised her head and glanced at him- her eyes only half open- as if wanting to check if him being there was real or if her senses had gotten so rusty that she could no longer tell apart the dream land from the real world.

" Ares…." she gasped sensually, an almost indistinct sound that echoed endlessly nonetheless through his head…. As his fingers entwined into her long, silky hair, she forcefully released a shaky breath, a bit taken aback by his gaze. He was looking at her as if he wanted to taste her, to eat her alive. She could feel desire coursing through her own veins, with wild power, but still, it hardly matched the fire burning in his eyes, and though she wasn't the type to blush easily, this time color rushed to stain her cheeks…

" Are you ready to leave this place?" he queried in a low, sexy voice, his mouth hovering over her slightly parted lips, his hot breath giving her goosebumps. Just as he was ready to sweep her up in his arms and take her to a far more intimate and fancy place, she placed a hesitant palm on his chest, thus keeping him at bay.

In response, the God eyed her suspiciously, his gaze suddenly turning from surprised to panicked as she stood by the side of the massage table, her hand clutching the sheet that was still covering the lower half of her body…..A bundle of nerves, that's what Ares had turned into while silently watching her search for the right words to say, and the tension radiating from her troubled aura only made everything worse.

"Princess ? "

His mind literally froze while waiting for her to speak. When she finally decided to offer him an answer though, he nearly had a heart attack- if Gods could actually have one, that is. Her words indeed, hit him with the force of a sledgehammer, and there was no fighting it.

" I uh….I can't.."

" You can't….." he repeated,staring at her inquisitively, making an effort to block- at least temporarily- the dreadful fear that had assaulted his heart.

"I can't come with you…."she clarified- and from the look on her face, something serious must have happened. Something he had no idea about, something she had been keeping from him all that time.

"What? Why? What's going on, Xena? You've been acting like a spoiled brat lately…!" he scolded, sounding rather scandalized and a bit fed up with this enigmatic behaviour of hers.

... Let's just say that when she told him the truth, he kinda wished she hadn't said anything.

"I did something…"


	3. Bloody confessions

**OK... SO, HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER TO _THE HEART OF WAR._..FOR ALL THE ROMANTIC GIRLS AND BOYS OUT THERE, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS STORY WOULD BE UTTERLY _ROMANTIC_ :) NO AWFULLY NASTY STUFF IN IT:)) I'VE DECIDED TO GIVE YOUR HEARTS A BREAK:))...I THINK...AS ALWAYS, DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT THOUGH:))) **

" I did something..."

" **Something** …. **?** " he reluctantly inquired. Judging by the grave expression on her face though, he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to know the answer.

" Xena…whatever it is that you did, we can fix it….Sleeping with the God of War out of all people, does offer certain advantages…" he tried to joke, thinking that somehow, a light smile on her lips would prove to be the secret ingredient that would make those dire premonitions that had started nestling in his heart ever since he made an appearance in that room, go away once and for all.

" There's no fixing it , Ares. Not everything can be **fixed** " she retorted- sounding a bit irritated by the fact that- as always- he arrogantly believed a snap of his fingers could solve any problem, no matter how desperate the situation was.

" I wouldn't be **that** pessimistic about it. " he encouraged, running nervously his hands up and down her thighs the moment he read the indecision in her eyes. "Talk to me…." he insisted but, despite having rehearsed her speech for a few days now, the Warrior Princess could barely find her words…..She shouldn't have done this…she shouldn't have stayed…she should have left without a word, leaving everything behind; she should have walked away- no goodbyes, no useless explanations…..He might have been furious with her for a week or two, but eventually , they would have both moved on, without putting herself through **this** ….Having him there again, so close to her, his inquisitive amber eyes piercing her to the core while that heart melting, soft touch of his hands was trying to relax her…it only made her task even more difficult…

For a few seconds, she anxiously rubbed her forehead as if it ached, then hesitantly ran her fingers through her hair – looking for something to keep her mind busy….She hadn't been looking forward to this conversation, that was pretty obvious, and the sudden realization of this little detail, made Ares feel like his head was about to burst with the tension that had built up in his temples.

" Right after the battle of Sounion, on our way to Thermopylae, we made a detour, remember?"

"Yeah, you made camp at Delphi…..You were looking for fresh supplies for the troops..."

" That's not why we stopped there…." she mildly contradicted- within seconds, the idea that she couldn't possibly take her words back once she had said it , flashing painfully through her mind, burning everything in its path…She wasn't precisely certain that her patron God had noticed it, but the decision she had already silently taken, had her petrified…..

"Ok….Why did you stop then? " Ares murmured, his hands suddenly ceasing their caresses and resting mechanically on her hips. …He was still waiting for the rest of the story, and for everyone who knew him- and there weren't a lot of people who could brag about it- his calmness was not only unusual, it was….life threatening….Still, ignoring the destructive tornado of emotions that had began forming inside him, reaching out his hand, the God preferred to delicately run the back of his fingers down the side of her cheek- another subtle encouragement for her to open up to him…. Surprisingly, it worked. Despite her continuously increasing heartbeat- which he had easily depicted- she kept speaking….

"As you probably know, some of the soldiers have families- spread throughout the entire Greek lands-…wives, children….and they have just escaped one of the bloodiest battles most of them have taken part to…not to mention that several others are about to follow…" she tried to explain, but the God kept staring at her, patiently indeed, but there was also a puzzled expression painted on his face….He didn't get it…

" So? What does that have to do with you?"

" Many of them wanted to visit the Oracle."

" A lot of people do…" he casually remarked, narrowing his eyes at her.

" So did I…"

" You went to see that blabbering idiot?! What ever for?! " he asked, looking slightly amused by the image now forming in his mind.

" I had a dream the night before….."

" I would have never considered the mighty Warrior Princess the superstitious kind…" he pointed out with a laugh.

" It was not an ordinary dream. "

" Dreams are never ordinary…They are either traumas, life events or figments of our imagination….but that's where the list ends…."

" I dreamt about Lyceus…."

 **" Life event"** he professionally classified, guilt reflected in his eyes. " I wish I had been there….." he added- on a considerably lower, apologetic tone.

" You can't **always** be there, Ares…."she softly replied, his statement only making her feel even worse than before… **.How** or **when** she had become so addicted to him, she didn't know, but these days, she could hardly breathe without him, and she had to ask herself now…..how would her life be without him in it?

" I'll just have to work harder…." he simply continued as if he hadn't even heard her.

" And it was not just a dream….I have dreamt about him countless times, you know that, but not like this….this was no dream, this was…" she hesitated, not really sure if she should say it out loud…..It was ridiculous and she knew it, no one else needed to tell her what she already knew " something else…." she ended, frowning at the memory.

 **" A vision?"** he spelled it for her, his eyebrows arching sharply at the perspective.

" I guess you could call it that…"

" And just what did this **vision** tell you? " the God asked, looking enquiringly at her, displeased to see the pain in her eyes….Whatever had happened in that accursed town, it sure affected his Princess a great deal, and not only did this made him angry with himself for not having been by her side that night, but it also scared him to death….

" To go and see Pythia….He said that the rest of my life depended on the decision I would make once I had talked to her…" she confessed, clearing her throat, while getting ready to share the rest of the story…

" Apollo's head priestess….what a coincidence…." Ares cynically interrupted, appearing suddenly calmer though, the knot his in stomach finally vanishing along with that bothering, soul crushing fear he had been feeling. " So let's see…..you make camp at Delphi and at night you dream about your brother- a recurring nightmare in your case- and he asks you to go see Pythia – whose name is usually associated to Delphi anyway…..Princess….it was just a dream, darling. Nothing to worry about…" he paternally insisted, kissing her forehead and before she knew it, she was already enfolded in his arms, heart-stoppingly close, and for a moment there, despite that uncommon serenity his embrace would always offer her, she felt like she was choking. "The woman's a fraud…ranting all kinds of nonsense…." he whispered soothingly against her ear.

"It's not what she said, it's what she showed me! And she showed me the future!" she finally exploded, tears glistening in her eyes as she said it.

His gaze lingered lovingly on her troubled face for a few seconds more before answering.

" Except for the Fates, nobody knows the future, sweetie …Plus, not even **they** can be one hundred percent certain that…."

"But it felt so real, Ares! " she immediately countered, wanting to get up from the massage table, but in return he just tightened his hold on her, his lips grazing over hers as he spoke, sending shivers down her spine….She wanted so badly to kiss him, to feel once again that ultimate power and protection he always offered her, that she nearly gave in the temptation to just forget about everything and pretend that nothing had happened….Gods, the idea itself was so tempting, so damn alluring that it hurt..."Plus….the woman's blind…..how could she have even known who I was…?!" she added, trying to distract herself from the ocean of sensations washing over her.

" The **Warrior Princess** passing through Delphi with an army to scare even Zeus himself….? Yeah, that's very hard to find out in a city with little over two thousand people!" he patronized, rolling his eyes at her. She was being completely irrational...very unlike her...Something obviously had her horrified...He just refused to believe that it had been some stupid vision that had reached that performance.

" That doesn't explain what I saw….And the things she knew about me ….No one knows them, but you…" she breathed out, biting her lips nervously.

" What things?"

" The nightmares, the guilt, Lyceus' last words….She couldn't have known that….and the images in my head….I saw my life- past , present and future….."

" So what exactly was it, that has you so…..edgy? What did you see? " he inquired in a soft, velvet like voice, wisely choosing his words, careful not to offend her.

" In short, gradually, the wars and the blood will turn me into a vicious killer- a heartless monster….but that's not what worries me the most….."

Hearing her, he had to make a real effort to suppress a smile …..It was absolutely incredible how this absolutely brilliant woman- his own Chosen to top it all- could be so freaking naïve at times…..Did she really believe all that mambo jumbo crap?

" I saw … **us** ….up on Olympus….." she finally revealed, struggling to control her visibly shaking hands now that the images invaded her brain again. It felt so real….so real that she could swear she had already lived those events!

" You …me …Olympus….Nothing wrong with that picture, so far…Were we sitting on the throne? King and Queen?!" he then asked enthusiastically, taking both of her hands to his lips and covering them in kisses…

What was she even worried about? What was it that he couldn't possibly fix? A million questions were still whirling inside his head, but still, to all appearances, it had all been a false alarm and he had just panicked uselessly.

Something did shock him though…..the blinding fear of losing her- a strange sensation, so intense, like nothing he had ever felt before….It amazed him to the point that, when she spoke again, he just stared at her absently for a couple of seconds, sunk in thought and it took his brain quite a few moments longer to process the staggering information she was giving him.

" Not really….We were fighting the other Gods….I saw Zeus. He was dead-killed by your hand….Aphrodite was the only one helping us, along with two other blondes I haven't seen before…."

" I'd say that sounds like the Elysian Fields on earth…..! Overthrowing the old man has been on my mind lately….." he confessed, suddenly extremely interested in what she had to say. " It must have been a glorious battle!"

" You died…" she grimly announced, and the words grazed her throat like spikes as she uttered them…." …Trying to protect me and my daughter…. **our** daughter…"


	4. Goodbye

" **Our** daughter?" the hesitantly uttered question left his lips before he could stop it.

" Yes…"

" Dark hair, blue eyes, just like her mother?" the God went on asking, playing with the ends of her raven tresses, an almost dreamy expression on his face.

"Does it even matter….?" she mechanically replied, still too troubled by those disturbing images to pay attention to anything else.

As seconds passed though without a verbal answer from his part, the Warrior Princess cast an inquiring eye at her patron God….He didn't look at all worried, on the contrary, an almost silly smile had lightened his face and it was more than obvious that his mind was somewhere else entirely…

" Ares?"

He didn't reply right away, too sunk in thought to hear her…There was no way in Tartarus he was ever going to confess such absurdity, but that future reality she had described….now that was worth any risk…any fight, any loss...

"Ares?" she repeated, louder this time, making sure she touched his shoulder in the process.

" Yeah?" he finally answered, a slight frown and a confused gaze letting her know that she had been right…

Another beat of silence went by.

" Did you hear a word I said? "

" Zeus, Olympus, baby….gotcha…." he summarized, clearing his throat and doing his best to put on a serious face, one to match the so called gravity of the situation.

" And?" she inquired, a bit scandalized by his uncalled for passiveness.

" I'm not opposed to the idea….An heir to carry on my name…my legacy….I have considered it…..And you'd make a fabulous mother….."

" I wasn't talking about the baby! "

" You weren't?!" he answered, and his confusion only seemed to deepen. By Hades, what was her problem ?!

" You **died**!" she stressed, her voice raising a notch, making sure he got the point this time. "Athena ran a blade through your heart!"

"Ooohhh!" he muttered- looking utterly unimpressed by the news- a click of his tongue followed by an arched eyebrow being his only reaction to her statement.

"That's it?! That's all you have to say about it?"

" What would you like me to say, Xe? It's just a vision…some two dinar mambo jambo crap, that makes no sense what so ever… ."

"That's precisely what I was trying to tell you all along! It was not **just** a vision….She knew things that …"

 **" Princess….."** he interrupted, framing her face with his palms, his gaze drifting unwillingly down to her temptingly sexy mouth before he snapped out of that semi trance and continued his idea. "listen to me…! No one, and I mean **no one** can accurately predict the future…And I'm not talking about some brainwashed priestess here, I'm talking about the Fates themselves ok? The future constantly changes depending on the decisions we make- and that is one of the few things Gods and mortals have in common… **We** are the ones who make our **own destiny** …It is with these two hands…" he explained, lightly caressing her palms now " and with the power of this brilliant mind, that you will shape and reshape your future….No one else can do it for you." he concluded, hoping he had been convincing enough to force those unjustified fears out of her soul….

...Imagine his boundless surprise when in response, she shook her head violently and pushed his hands away. Before he even began to realize what was happening, she was already dressed and heading towards the door.

As if woken up from a terrible nightmare- just to plunge into the perilous clutches of something even more macabre- the War God stood there, frozen in both fear and disbelief for what felt like an endless moment. Just as her hand touched the handle though, he rushed by her side, and grabbed her by the arm, keeping her in place.

" Where are you going?"

" I can't do this anymore, Ares….." she murmured, unable to look him in the eye.

"Do what?" he inquired, his heart pounding frantically now- painfully hard…..He had never felt so scared of anything in his life…..

" This….the wars, the killing…I'll just end up hurting everyone I care about…That's what he said…Lyceus…- that my actions will only bring death and destruction in the lives of everyone I love….."

" Lyceus is **dead,** Princess!" he snapped, pulling her roughly against him and as far away from the door as possible, too shocked by her confession to think about any possible consequences. The result was a loud smack against his cheek, followed by a barely articulated apology. "I'm sorry….."

" Sweetheart…." he continued, tenderly taking her hand to his lips- the same one that had just collided with his face earlier- and kissing it affectionately before he gave it a light squeeze, and pressed it against his chest. " I know it still hurts and all but….nothing can change the fact that he's gone…Plus, he wouldn't have judged you…no matter what…"

" He wasn't being judgmental…It was more like…he was trying to warn me. And I felt him, Ares. It felt like…him…"

"That's only because he's still alive in your mind, darling…And it's natural. You loved him so much and you shared a very special connection….but it couldn't have been him…That was just Pythia messing with your head, taking advantage of your every weakness….and like it or not, Lyceus is your soft spot…" the War God specified, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her magnetizing blue eyes. " Let's not forget that she's Apollo's head priestess…and your army was camped right outside Delphi….Do I need to spell it out for you?"

" Goodbye, Ares…." she simply whispered- struggling to hold back the tears that were already stinging the back of her eyes, threatening to overflow- her lips brushing delicately against his for - what at least in her mind was- the last time...It was over.


	5. Time

"Goodbye? What do you mean **goodbye**?" he said- a hint of puzzlement in his voice- grabbing her arm and pulling her back by his side. What in the name of Hades did she think she was doing?! Had she lost her mind?!

" It's over, Ares…Lyceus was right…I already have too much blood on my hands as it is…" she repeated, looking aside, unable to face his burning gaze any more. She could clearly see the confusion painted on his face, just like she could notice something strikingly similar to pain in his eyes. It was almost as if every word was an arrow and every single one ended up hitting home…. What she definitely couldn't see though, was something invisible to the mortal eye- the fact that the War God's heart had become frozen solid by now - frozen in fear…- an unconscious but overwhelming fear of losing her…

"You're a Warrior…that's what we do- we spill blood- for a good cause…" he replied, tightening the hold on her arm but doing even the impossible to control his temper.

"You're a Warrior…that's what we do.- we spill blood- for a good cause…"

" **Innocent** blood…" she vainly tried to reason with him.

" There's no such thing as **innocent blood!** ….Victims **are** and always will be **victims-** Every war has its share- it's not something that a person wielding a sword can actually avoid. Plus, it's not like you've made a purpose out of killing women and children, Xena…! Your army doesn't fight children…" he started to shout just to end the last sentence on a considerably calmer note, despite the dark anger radiating from his aura.

" And yet, they die…" she bluntly contradicted, desperate to make him understand- to make him see things her way- to offer him something- whatever that something was- and explanation, a scenario that actually made sense, something that could somehow justify her decision- since Pythia's terrifying revelation didn't seem to have an equally strong impact on him as it did on her.

" Some of them…." he hissed, fighting the urge to break something. " But this isn't about those few drops of blood staining your hands, is it? It is about that damn vision itself….Seeing your brother again must have messed with your brain big time…." he concluded, chewing his lips in silent agony for a couple of seconds before he returned to his previous theory as if there were no other valid explanation for what was happening to her." … You're just troubled, Xena…but you'll forget all about this nonsense in no time…" he insisted- softly caressing her cheek now- frustration written plainly across his features. Why was she doing this? What did she want with him?

" Stop acting as if you know what I'm talking about! As if you understand ! You obviously don't! You think I'm delusional…" she finally burst, bitterness in her voice, slapping his hand before finally pushing him away from her- as hard as she could.

" Can you blame me? Really?! Come on, Princess! She showed you whatever it was necessary to convince you that what you are doing is wrong! " he ended up screaming back, at the top of his lungs. She was driving him insane! All this story was simply ridiculous and he had a terribly hard time believing that she had actually fallen for something like that…

Too furious to actually offer him a reply, the Warrior Princess chose the easy way out of that sticky situation, heading for the door again…With Ares things were never that simple though…..

" Don't even think about it! If you thought for one second that turning your back on me and just walking away was an option, you were dead wrong, Sweetheart! You made a sacred vow, remember?! You swore allegiance to me- a lifetime commitment! You are my fucking Chosen, and like it or not that's how things stand! This is not something you can walk away from! So whatever morality issues you imagine you might be having, just deal with them! Solve them and move on! " he growled, barely restraining the urge to slap those crazy ideas out of her head. Who did she think she was?!

"You can't force me to do something against my own will…This is my decision to take…. **my life** …" she stated, only a murmur, quickly realizing that in this case, violence was not an answer- not if she wanted him to grant her request.

" May I remind you that **your life belongs to** **me**! It has been that way ever since you pledged yourself **to me** , darling!" he kept screaming, the pain in his eyes only growing deeper, consuming him.

" I'm not staying…..Ares….! You'll just have to deal with it…Find another Chosen or…"

….This time, her voice sounded as if it had no life into it…

She didn't get the chance to finish that sentence though, for moments later, she hit the wall like a rag doll with a force that knocked the air from her lungs.

" Yeah! Too bad I'd have to kill ya first! …" he threatened through clenched teeth, his fingers clenching menacingly around her neck, slightly hesitant about squeezing too much, as if he were still waiting for the confirmation that she was still in one piece after that rough collision with the wall. ". Just what part out of **a** **lifetime commitment** did you not understand, Xena?! And just for the sake of conversation, what in Tartarus will you be doing supposing you leave everything behind, huh? Have you thought about that?"

"I can always go back home….to Amphipolis…" she muttered, putting her hands on his, trying to loosen his grip.

" **Home** …..what **home**? Are you by any chance talking about that hovel from which Cyrene kicked you out right after Lyceus' death without giving a damn about your pain and remorse…? …..Is it the same one where the villagers nearly stoned you to death?!" he spat, his ironic gaze making her feel incredibly uncomfortable….That wasn't a memory she was particularly fond of- she had been so weak that day….- devastated by her brother's early departure, that's true, but so unpardonably weak…

" She is my mother. She will eventually forgive me…" she answered, gritting her teeth in pain, gasping for air, struggling to catch her breath.

"Maybe…You'd only have the rest of the village to worry about….A piece of cake for the Warrior Princess…..or wait….you'd no longer be a warrior, will you…? Too much blood on your hands….." he mocked. " Face it Xena…that is only a fantasy- well a nightmare, really, if you ask me…. I can't even bare to picture you living in that tavern, having to put up with all those mindless fools that putz around that wretched place, always stinking of alcohol.…You'd just end up breaking their arms or snapping their necks before they finish their drinks…- quite ironic given your newly found obsession with the innocent blood and all…"

"I'm not expecting you to understand this….."

"Good…cause making an effort in that direction hasn't even crossed my mind….The only place you're going, is back to the Halls of War with me…For you, that should be home…."he let her know, in a low, haunting voice, pulling her closer and kissing her possessively on the lips.

" Haven't you heard a word I said?"

" I could ask you the same thing..Imagine that.." he retorted, somewhat mocking. " I am your patron God and you will do as you are told! You will obey me and…." he commandingly started again, just to stop all of the sudden, when, taking his time studying her expression, he realized that his efforts were pointless really...There was actually nothing that he could do to keep her from leaving….He could beat the Tartarus out of her, drag her by the hair back to camp...kill her if needed…but where was the fun in that?! She still wouldn't agree with his thinking….plus, wasting talent was so not his thing…No….this strategy was definitely not working. It was time to try something different.

" ….You know something? Maybe you're right …." he pensively stated, much to his Chosen's surprise. She simply couldn't believe it…Was he actually ok with this?!

"…..You run along to your mommy, do whatever it is that you need to do, enjoy the beauty of the peaceful rural life….milk some cows, feed some chickens, pick some flowers…Whatever…just try not to take too long…You know me…I get bored easily…."

" Goodbye Ares….." she whispered, a faint, sad smile on her lips… He still didn't get it- she was never coming back...Just like he obviouly refused to accept the fact that she had never intended to hurt him, quite the opposite…she was sacrificing everything she had- the perspective of a knew beginning- **for him** …It was for the better though that he had no idea just how much this decision was tearing her apart….

" Don't push it.." he warned, vanishing from the place, unable to control himself anymore….He needed time to think about everything that had happened, he needed time to understand- and once he got that covered, he could focus on a way to bring her back...


	6. Unanswered questions

**WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED AFTER XENA LEFT?**

She left without looking back. She definitely left with the unshakable conviction that this was the right thing to do… **for him** …or maybe for both of them. She left determined to gather whatever strength she still had within her to cut him out of her life for good, to forget everything related to him and to their glorious, plans together ...She made a solemn promise to Lyceus that night- to never hold a sword again in her life and to start over- and yes, she had every intention to keep it. She had never broken a promise before so she was not going to start now...

" _It's never too late…"_ -those were her brother's last words- uttered right before he closed his eyes for the last time- and this is probably what he meant by them- the Warrior Princess told herself- while burying her sword and her chakram at the outskirts of Amphipolis, just a few yards away from the painfully familiar tomb….

"It's never too late" she whispered, sounding rather nostalgic than eager to see what the future had in store for her, glancing one last time at the wet ground beneath her feet- the place that she had carefully chosen as a burial site for her troubling past…"I sure hope you're right…" she added, a tear gliding down her cheek at the awareness that things were never going to be the same again. She was sad- sadder than she had ever been. Everything inside her ached tremendously, and each new breath felt like a knife to the heart - the pain equalling in intensity the one she had felt that tragic moment when her beloved brother had died in her arms….

...Nevertheless, the wretched feeling of solitude taking over her…now that was way, way worse and this time there was no one to hold her and to whisper against her ear that everything would be fine- that what happened would kill her on the inside, but that eventually the wounds would heal…that she would wake up one day and her soul would feel whole again despite the ugly scars that would be undoubtedly engraved on its shiny surface.

…All she needed was him now…What an irony! He was the only one who could make the pain vanish in a heartbeat but at the same time he was precisely the one she was running away from….and there was no going back- not if her presence in his life meant his death…No…that was something that she knew she could never face- the idea itself paralyzed her soul in fear….It was done. She had made her choice.

In the eerie silence of the night, with heavy, unhurried steps, Xena headed for her mother's inn…the place that she and Lyceus used to call **a home** back in the days where they were too naïve to see that the shabby looking hovel was anything but….Her father's heavy drinking, the constant fighting, her mother's hopeless screams…..Their illusion shattered to little pieces around the age of seven when she finally started to understand things….when she realized that they had been living in a fantasy world all along and that Torris had run away from home simply because he couldn't stand seeing his mother's bruised face and bleeding lip every day…..That's when all her previous dreams were burnt to a crisp like fine butterfly wings and a new, powerful ambition took over- to be able to protect her mother…her family….

She had never felt safe though underneath that roof. She had never known paternal love and, sadly enough, she had never considered her father a hero like all the other girls she played with from time to time- just for Lyceus' sake who had a crush on the next door neighbor- Anthea, a lovely little girl who was at that time as tall as a recently planted flower bush.

…She had always wondered what it felt like for her father to hold her in his strong arms while she feel asleep, to tell her bedtime stories, to stick up for her no matter what…to make her feel like she was important, that she was loved….She had never had the chance to enjoy anything similar though- not until Ares had barged into her life, the only one who -even in the absence of words- had showed her all the affection she had been missing throughout the years…For the very first time, she gradually got to discover that something had changed….She finally felt secure, and more than that , she had that unique, indescribable feeling that she belonged somewhere, that she was wanted…that she had somehow become the center of someone's universe…

He had been everything to her- her friend, her brother, her father, her lover, her confidant, and sometimes, when she was out of line, she could swear he sounded just like Cyrene too…

A few silent tears found their way to her tightly pressed lips as she reached the village, and she gulped nervously just before her knuckles hit the door. She had to force herself- even if that meant doing the impossible- to forget him. She had to…..Despite the deafening sounds of her hysterically crying soul, she had to stay strong and accept the fact that this was the right thing to do- at least that's what her gut told her. One of the many lessons the War God himself had made sure to reinforce, was that true warriors always follow their reason not their weak, foolish hearts, after all...

Two minutes later, the distinct sound of steps coming down the stairs could be heard. For a fleeting moment, she panicked, almost forgetting the reason why she had decided to come back, in the first place. Her brother's voice, still echoing inside her head though and those dramatic images of her little girl's death, Ares lying in a pool of blood at the base of the altar while trying to stop Athena from killing her….

A loud, resonating slap brought her back to reality, along with a grave, steely voice that she knew so very well...

" I thought I made myself clear the last time you came knocking at my door. I never want to see you again Xena! For me, and for everyone else in this village, you died the day my boy died! "

 **XXX**

The night had fallen over the gloomy Halls of War for some time now, and yet, not one candle had been lit in the God's suddenly too large chambers…He couldn't seem to stand anything these days, let alone light- that accursed light that was always keen on reminding him of her….Somehow, everything appeared to be connected with her….- her red nightgown, thrown casually over the back of an armchair, the dark rose he had left for her on the nightstand that very morning- just like he always did when he had to leave early- a silver necklace and a pair of earrings she had worn at their last party on Olympus- still lying on the nightstand- and on top of that, her bewitching perfume….still lingering in the air, keeping him glued to that chair….

Believe it or not, he hated her…- or that's what he mechanically repeated every ten minutes while sipping on another glass of wine.

Despite his somber expectations , the first day without her had been **bearable** ….For a few hours, he actually managed to trick his brain into directing his attention to a bunch of surprisingly well trained soldiers struggling to stay alive by slaying their enemies on a battlefield somewhere, than to the anxiety their last conversation had left behind…..Blood was always a solution, at least according to him, so the brutality of the scene did solve his problem for awhile, but only for awhile…Once the adrenaline and the excitement were gone, his thoughts started going haywire…

He was sad, furious, frustrated, perplexed, disappointed and hurt at the same time, and for nothing in the world could he understand this avalanche of emotions ruling him, just like he couldn't find the logic behind her accursed decision….Had he done something wrong? Was the whole Oracle thing just some lame excuse, some stupid scenario she had invented just to get away from him?! Was there something else on her mind, something she had adamantly refused to share with him?

During the second day, things only got even worse….This time, he killed a few soldiers himself and nearly beheaded a couple of priestesses just for the sake of burning some steam…He already missed her terribly- a ridiculous feeling - as he insisted on telling himself every time his hand instinctively rose to open up a portal, eager to extinguish the fire that was now consuming his soul….

He barely made it through that second night, pacing like a caged animal up and down the room, staring like a lunatic at her things, frantically looking for the answer his mind was craving to find….- none of them appeared to satisfy him though, for something just didn't seem to click….

Now the third day….let's just say that it was a good thing none of the priestesses had the guts to knock at his door- the frightening noises of walls exploding, of broken mirrors and vases scattering in pieces on the floor and of marble columns and statues colliding with whatever was left intact in the room- kept everyone away…Nothing made him feel better though, and once the sun had set and the darkness came creeping through the window and into his mind, an equally dark idea stirred his vivid imagination…..

In the blink of an eye he was gone, only to reappear moments later in the sinister looking altar where he knew he would find the priestess who had turned his life upside down.

" Hello, Pythia. " he greeted coldly, his unusually dark eyes sparkling with malice.

" Ares….It was about time. I have been waiting for you…."

" Good. That means you know why I'm here. "

" Of course I do….The question is….do you?"


	7. Any last wishes?

"Sure I do" he acidly replied, casually pulling the sword out of its scabbard and skillfully waving it in the air a couple of times, warming up for the event that was about to come. " I'm here to kill you." he dispassionately announced, sounding rather bored that anxious to see it done.

The priestess stared blankly at him for a few seconds – the same formal smile plastered on her face - before she slowly rose from her chair and noiselessly began to light the few candles on the altar.

" That's funny. I could have sworn you were here looking for answers."

" Answers? Me? Neah…I'm more like the practical type- kill first ask questions later-" he simply stated while with one fine blow that covered the room in dust and white marble particles, he demonstratively cut off the beautifully sculpted head of Apollo's statue- the ideal test-in his book- to see if the blade was still sharp enough.

"….made by Hephaestus himself!" he proudly exclaimed, looking particularly pleased with the weapon he was holding. " I gotta' say, you're one lucky lady today. One swift, well aimed blow right at the base of that pretty neck of yours should do it…" he mentioned , casting a furtive glance at the incredibly calm priestess. " Just outta curiosity….is this the way you predicted it- your death?"

" Actually, I cannot foresee my own future , Ares."

"That would be **Lord Ares** , for you, my dear. We're not equal in any way, you and I….As for the guessing the future thing….that' s quite an irony wouldn't you say so?! Apollo could have been a bit a tad more generous when it comes to your supernatural abilities. Anyway…too much chit chat tires me. How do you want us to do this? Have you ever envisaged your …departure? Any special requests?" he inquired, dropping any note of amusement in his voice and heading for the altar.

" As in..last wishes….?"

" Yeah, something like that. I mean…you're quite famous and all…Do you prefer something dramatic- something to shock the masses? I'm easy. For instance, I could behead you right here , next to this horrible- looking statue of your beloved patron God and then kick your head closer to his or uh- and if you ask me this is way better- I could gut you on the altar table – that would certainly create a long lasting impression….…Now...if that doesn't sound messy enough though, I could also skin you alive and use…." he continued, only to be abruptly interrupted by the now slightly nervous Oracle.

" That's mighty generous of you God of War , but something has apparently slipped your mind- you can't harm a hair on my head, remember? – at least not according to your own father's laws. I am Apollo's Chosen- which pretty much means…."

"How could I forget? " the War God quickly cut her off. " You two are so much alike that I sometimes tend to believe you are actually him –wearing a dress. "

" I'm sure you find that amusing. " she icily remarked on a voice that didn't betray neither the fear nor worry that had crept inside her soul.

" You have no idea. And just what makes you think that I do give a damn about Zeus' ridiculous laws? "he asked, throwing a small dagger her way and grinning widely when the blade flew just a few inches past her face, sticking into the wall- from where he effortlessly pulled it out as he passed her by, slapping her ass on his way there.

"…. Just like you're Apollo's Chosen, Xena's mine. … **My property**. And somehow, despite all my previous warnings, you decided to go ahead with whatever plan that sleazy Bastard might have had and fill her head with your mambo jambo crap- thus casting her away from me. ...Just **try** to imagine my outrage when she told me that she needed a break….. – Now multiply that feeling by a million... " he lowly hissed from behind her, angrily knocking the chair that was still standing between them. " Make no mistake, I am going to kill you today. I just haven't figured out yet which technique is more likely to bring me the most satisfaction…so I'm still working on that little detail... "

" Whether you kill me or not, that won't change the fact that she made the right choice. "the priestess answered, turning around to face him, and her heart stopped for a second when she saw just how inhumanly cold his eyes had turned.

" And just how exactly is dumping me the right choice, you **deluded schizophrenic psychopath**? " he shouted, gripping her neck with his left hand and hitting her head against the altar so brutally that blood gushed immediately from the deep incision that immediately formed right above her eye.

"She did it to save your life! …and to save herself from the monster you'd eventually turn her into! " Pythia struggled to respond, both her hands immediately clenching around his wrist in a vain attempt to weaken his iron like hold from around her neck, desperate to inhale. "You'll end up hating her and she'll hate you back. You consulted the Fates, Ares, you know very well how your relationship is bound to end. So yes! She did the only wise thing possible!" she continued when he finally allowed her to take a breath.

" Listen here you mindless wench, I don't know what kind of poisonous herbs you have been smoking today- and frankly, I don't care- but I will spell it for you one more time- **SHE IS MINE** , and that's never going to change. Now... what else did you tell her? " he demanded to know, the sharp blade of the sword coming dangerously close to her face now.

"That's all. She was too troubled to hear the rest of it. She didn't stay long….But if you do give a damn about her at all, you'll stay away from her while you still can, because the path you have chosen for her, will ultimately lead her to death. Yours and hers…"

" Don't you dare talk to me about destiny ! I'm not some ignorant peasant you can brainwash into believing this crap! **We make our own destiny!** Everyone who has at least one functional neuron knows that! We are the masters of our lives and our fates change with every decision we make!" he growled, irritated by the nerve this pathetic mortal had to offer him **– him, an Olymnpian God** \- advice!"

" What about the part in which her name appears next to yours in the Book of Life?! What is that if not DESTINY? Keep telling yourself that you don't believe me if it helps your conscience any, though... Anyway, call it fate or call it whatever you like but judging by her recent decisions, Xena was rapidly heading down a one way street! "

"And that was none of your concern!"

" **She** came to me to **me** asking about her future. I only told her the truth. " she defended herself, letting out a pained, muffled shriek when the sharp blade glided down her ivory visage, drawing even more blood, from the freshly executed cut.

 **"Your truth!"**

" If you don't let her go, there would be no stone left standing in Greece. The country will have burnt to the ground along with most of the neighboring lands by the time you realize what you have done! "

" That sounds like a marvelous show! One that I'd hate to miss ! "

"What about your daughter? What about your son?!"

" That's only a freakin' scenario….One of the **many** …."

" Is it? What does your hear tell you, **Lord Ares**?" she bit through clenched teeth." Could you actually resist the temptation of having a child with her…with the woman you love? A lineage …."

" A child would only be a useless complication…" he didn't waste time in answering, a response that was probably meant to convince himself by the utter logic of that phrase….Truth be told, he had in fact already considered the option - it was just that he was still waiting for the right moment to present his offer to Xena- deep inside fearing the bluntness of a refusal..

" You're in denial. You're in love with her and it is precisely this sick love that will bury you in the darkest pits of Tartarus. You'll be spending the rest of eternity side by side with the Titans…" the priestess warned, moaning in pain as the tip of the sword cut a fine line deep into her neck

" Yeah well….when you do meet, make sure to tell them **hello** for me, will ya?"

As he walked towards the door, the War God glanced one last time behind, arching a sharp eyebrow at the unusual colour of the priestess' blood- that was now generously springing out of her perfectly sectioned arteries.

 **XXX**

The midday sun was burning mercilessly over the dusty town of Amphipolis. The usually crowded streets leading to the marketplace were empty, for every single soul had taken refuge inside the darkened bedrooms of their humble but comfortable houses.

Inside Cyrene's tavern, despite the unusual number of guests, an eerie silence had taken over the place. The few familiar faces sitting at the tables were sipping their drinks in peace- though there was a subtle restlessness engraved on their serious expressions- and a yet, an unspoken question was still lingering on everyone's lips **….."Why on earth had this wretched woman agree to give her soulless daughter another chance? How could she still share the same roof with her boy's murderer?! Where was her honor? …her decency?! "**

 **XXX**

…Just like the streets, the neighboring forest and the spring were also deserted, but that didn't seem to bother Xena…Despite the torrid heat, it felt good the be finally alone, away from her Cyrene's hard, accusing glare ….She could hardly stand the tension these days….There was just too much grudge, too many unsaid words, too much history and definitely too much pain between them to actually get along. She was definitely shocked that her still grieving mother had actually accepted to take her in after that rough, impulsive slap and the fiery exchange they shared the minute she saw her standing in the doorway in the middle of the night….

What the Warrior Princess couldn't have possibly realised was that the poor woman had seen the despair in her daughter's eyes, the regret and the horrible suffering hiding behind the light azure of her gaze…..A mother always knows….Once again, from all her heart, she hoped that her daughter actually wanted to change…that enough blood had been spilled to make her crave for another type of life, for a fresh new start…..Xena's heartbreaking story ended up shattering the last remaining doubts she did have about her. It shook her to the core to find out that even from beyond the grave, her sweet, beloved body still cared about his family, still made efforts to help his sister… She naturally assumed that a miracle had taken place- and thus ended up welcoming her rebellious daughter if not with open arms, at least with the promise that she would try to bury the hate she still felt for her…..It was more than the Warrior Princess had ever hoped for….

Unfortunately, Cyrene didn't know the whole truth…She had no idea that Xena was not actually running from the horrible life she had struggled to describe- in detail – in the sole purpose of softening her mother's heart- from the traumatic experiences, the nightmares and the bloodshed, but from a smothering love that had literally turned her life upside down, igniting everything inside her with a passion that she could hardly ignore for more than a few seconds...

Her heart started bleeding from the accursed moment she saw with her own eyes the tragic, unavoidable consequences that their union was bound to bring….Had she stayed, eventually, she would have been the death of him, and for nothing in the world was she willing to allow that….


	8. Courtesy call

Her mind flooded with memories and unanswered questions, it took Xena awhile to notice that, as if having known the way, her legs had somehow carried her straight to last place she should have been visiting given how vulnerable she was- the spring where she had clearly sensed- for the first time- that tempting darkness and power radiating from the War God's aura- right after that tragic battle with Cortese- and for the hundredth time that day, she sank her teeth ferociously into her lower lip- in a superhuman effort to prevent herself from calling out his name…

...By all the nymphs of the forest, had someone told her that leaving him would hurt like this, she would have never believed it…

Desperate to stay strong and chase him out of her cobweb of thoughts, the Warrior Princess ended up leaning her forehead against the rough bark of a nearby maple tree, only to methodically repeat that same contact- but in a slightly careless, self punitive manner- for what must have lasted for a full, long minute….Whatever it took, she had to shake him off her mind once and for all, and if that meant banging her head against any rough surface, then so be it! It wasn't like living the rest of her days missing his touch and his kisses was an option to be considered, that was for sure.…

" This is absurd…" she muttered unintelligibly, hugging the thick trunk and closing her eyes for a few priceless seconds as if by keeping them shut she could also shut away the rest of her falling apart inner world.

And then, without any previous warning what so ever, her heart nearly jumped out of her ribcage when she sensed it- that unique, unmistakable presence her brain had become so addicted to, the only one that could actually dissipate the sadness that had taken over her soul ever since she decided to start a new life, without him in it….One moment later and there it was.. ….his low, velvet voice - and by the gods, how she had missed it!

"Can't say I blame you…Boring village life is known to have mentally affected people before- countless victims…..enough to rival wars…." his words reached her ears like a much awaited melody, spreading through her system, invading even the farthest corners of her soul and before she knew it, his strong, muscular arms were circling her waist, pinning her between his solid body and the tree, and everything inside her started to melt like wax under a burning flame at the contact…For a brief but priceless moment she felt whole again, her heart no longer shattered by that atrocious pain and the longing she could hardly handle, but complete, untouched, as if nothing had happened.

Just like so many times in the past, she flinched when she felt the pads of his fingers pressing ever so lightly against her stomach and shivered uncontrollably when one hand moved gently upwards over her breasts and for what felt like not enough and forever at the same time, they just stood there in perfect silence, just enjoying that crushing feeling that they shouldn't have been apart in the first place….

Regrets and doubts savagely assaulted her mind again when his lips brushed lovingly against the top of her head, placing a chaste kiss on her hair, but to her utter amazement her body simply refused to protest against that unexpected- so very intimate- contact. It didn't feel wrong…it never did….

" …I'd hit harder if I were you, though. " he bluntly continued, breaking the spell…. " Who knows? Maybe the pain will help you wake up to reality… "

" Ares…" she whispered, instinctively licking her lips as she uttered the name- she could literally feel it...deliciously sweet on her lips- and for a moment longer, she focused solely on memorizing that divine sensation of having him so unbearably close again before she tried to free herself from his teasingly tight embrace. She was supposed to keep him away at any cost not to lose herself in his arms …...…

Surprisingly-very unlike him, too, may I add- the self conceited Olympian didn't hesitate in offering her the freedom she was looking for- so, the instant he sensed the building tension in her body, he just relaxed his grip and took one step back- giving her the needed space to turn around and face him….

" Gee….you still remember my name…I'm flattered. I assumed that you might have buried it along with our common past and your unjustified fears…." he pungently punctuated, cracking a smile despite the fact that through his warm, jocular voice, a distinct note of pain could be heard.

" Why are you even here? I din't call …." the question rolled impatiently off her tongue and, her mind set on avoiding any type of physical contact - she shoved him brutally aside and swiftly moved past him, as if the only thing that could keep her from falling to pieces right there in front of him, was distance…

A jolt of desire mixed with consuming frustration shot through the War God at the awareness of what those few feet between them actually meant…Damn it, she hadn't changed her mind about their break up..….! She was still set on starting fresh in Amphipolis and by Chronos himself, the idea alone was driving him insane!

Only three days had passed since she left and he was already desperate to have her back…And while his utterly disconsolate heart began to frantically scream at him to skip that stupid verbal interaction they were supposed to share and just whisk her out of there, sadly though, his brain didn't agree- and as much as he hated it, this was too delicate a matter for him to act on impulse...

...A whipped God of War …who would have thought?

" Yeah well…I like to be spontaneous every now and then" he casually replied, giving her perfectly sculpted body a quick once over….

He knew every inch of it….every curve …and he simply adored the way her skin would always heat up under his any caress - and now, to his great dismay, he couldn't even enjoy her company any more- and all that because of some stupid vision about a fantastic future that was as improbable as a hurricane wiping Athens off the face of the earth! "…I uh…I love the dress- " he felt the need to mention- a clever way of calming the loud drumming of his heart "…could be shorter if you ask me- but that cleavage….now that I'm ok with! Maybe this rural thing you've got going on here isn't so terrible after all.."

It was official, he was nervous- and though he didn't know it, she was just as nervous as he was…

" Ares, what do you want? And before you say anything, just to be clear, I haven't changed my mind…" she made sure to let him know, trying hard to keep her cool and to control her continuously wandering glance that just seemed to stubbornly disobey her and to foolishly focus on his lips instead of his eyes.

"…Who says I have to want something? ….Just dropping by to see what's new…courtesy call." he replied, a bit surprised by just how defensive she had gotten all of a sudden.

She naturally snored in disbelief at his answer. As if that were ever to happen….

" What?! Can't a God check up on his Chosen without having any ulterior motives ?!"

" Not if that God is you…..Why are you staring at me like that?!" she then asked, bothered by the way in which his own restless gaze seemed to glide up and down every millimeter of her face, as if looking for something.

" **No bruises** …hmmmm…This means that mommy dearest has actually welcomed you with open arms despite the hate and the heartache?!….My, my! Your brother's death did mess her up big time huh?!"

The guilt and the remorse still eating at her when it came to that subject only made her roll her eyes in disgust. He shouldn't have brought that up….She could understand why it was that he wanted some form of revenge, but he should have known better than to hit where it hurt most...She turned around, ready to leave, the only thing she felt she could do….

"Oh come on Xe, I didn't mean it like that….I'm just …surprised .

Knowing that his half supplicating tone was the closest form of apology she was ever going to get, despite her awareness that every second spent there with him made her even weaker and even more vulnerable, there was something in his voice as he continued speaking, something that kept her feet glued to that spot, preventing her to take one step in the desired direction. " Your last encounter didn't even come close to what sane people would describe like the ideal mother- daughter reunion, remember?"

" How could I forget? " she bitterly spat, visibly affected by his touch when, closing in the distance between them, his hand started gliding comfortingly down her cheek.

" So I'm guessing you're on speaking terms then…." he stated lowly, seeming genuinely concerned with the problem.

" Something like that. We're still working on it but….yeah…" she muttered, narrowing her eyes at him…What did he want? Why was he here? She had made it crystal clear before she left that she was never going to return ….

" Wow..! Not even Pythia herself could have predicted that one…Speaking of whom…How did you find the latest news?" he asked, changing the subject and looking utterly anxious to hear her opinion on the matter but she just gave him a long, inquiring glance.

" What news?"

" What do you mean **what news**?! **The** news...All Greece is talking about it…"

Judging by her expression though, she obviously had no idea what he referred to….and...how could she?! He had just killed the damned bitch!

" Pythia…..her unexpected death…." he cleared it up for her. " What a tragedy! Who would have thought…?! So young and uh….gifted. A loss for all human race…" he theatrically ended, a remark that was in striking contrast with the wide grin stretching on his face from one ear to the other..

" Pythia's dead?!" the Warrior Princess gasped in shock, stiffening instantly at his words.

" So they say…"

" Wha'..when ? How ?! Who…?"

" Earlier today I imagine. No one really knows but rumour has it that someone chopped off her head and placed it on Apollo's equally decapitated marble statue." he laughed. " She seems to have left this world screaming in agony. Her tongue was found- half rotten- next to the sacred herbs she was using to predict the future, on Goldilocks' altar…. Pretty sick huh? …Who would do such a thing?!" he questioned on a mockingly scandalized tone.

" You killed her?!" she yelled, shooting him an outraged, deadly glare.

" Shhhh! Hey! Not so loud- trees have ears you know?!" he exclaimed, taking a cautious look around." I didn't **kill** her….I…only **helped her die** …a little…."

" A little?! Ares! You killed Phytia?!" she hissed through clenched teeth, hardly restraining her urge to just slap him silly while her restless eyes kept scrutinizing his face- searching for a sign- even the slightest one- that this was only a joke….

" Why do you say it as if it is a bad thing? " he inquired, unable to understand her behaviour.

" Because it is! Ares have you lost your mind?! She is… **was** Apollo's Chosen!"

" ….My point's exactly ! Xena…now that she's gone…"

" Now that she's gone, once Apollo realizes what happened he'll go ballistic! The entire Olympus will want a piece of me! You know the rules…eye for an eye…" she spat, wondering if he had indeed lost his marbles during those few days they had been apart.

"Relax. I wouldn't let them harm a hair on your head, Princess…." he comfortingly reassured, sweetly brushing his fingers through her waist long tresses. " Plus, in the Halls of War you'd be untouchable…"

It took a moment longer for Xena's brain to make all the right connections, but it did happen in the end….

" Wait a minute….you want this…You want this to happen…." one sentence after another started stumbling out of her mouth.

" I gotta admit it, the mere perspective of such a confrontation sounds…. **thrilling** to say the least…. My entire being craves for a bit of action, of suspense. It's been so gods damn boring and peaceful with you gone…I'm not delusional though- as good a warrior as you are , you're not yet ready to face eleven raging Olympians at the same time…plus, that won't be the case anyway. As I said, in the Halls of War…"

" Forget the Halls of War, Ares! It's not like I'm gonna spend the rest of my life between four walls ! "

"Not **the rest of your life** …Just a few weeks until we come up with a brilliant enough strategy to smash Athens ! Olympia, Corinth and Mycenae, Thebes and Pylos they would all follow….That means more than half a Greece at our feet…With so many worshipers, we will be invincible- a force to be reckoned with…."

"What are you talking about?"

" They would be too busy fighting your armies, protecting their cities to focus on anything else….Problem solved. "

"You're daydreaming, Ares…I meant what I said…I'm not coming back…"

" Oh, I don't know about that…You see...a little birdie told me that a very rare pendant was found at the temple…"

For an instant, the blood stopped flowing in Xena's veins s at the news…It was right after her encounter with Pythia that she had lost the pendant Ares had given her when she pledged herself to him….

" A pendant?"

" Yeah. Silver…it had the rune of war engraved on it…..."

The frown his statement painted on her face could have certainly peeled paint.

"You conniving Bastard! Are you telling me that you framed me for…?"

" I didn't frame you for anything…I swear. " he calmly replied- looking utterly sincere, too, despite the fact that , with the War God, honesty and truth had the bad habit of becoming two very ambiguous notions. " And yes, I was furious so I might have inflicted that manipulating bitch a certain amount of pain, but that's it, no scheming involved. Call it fate, call it bad luck, call it however you want, but your pendant happened to be there. I spotted it on my way out right next to the altar….I just didn't bother to pick it up….Now, I might be paranoid here, but knowing Apollo like I do, I could swear he would read more into it….He'll start asking questions, the other priestesses might tell him that you were there, and one thing leads to the other…."

" You…" was the only thing that she could say, she was **that** angry.

" No need to thank me. Apollo and I had some unfinished business anyway. It was just a matter of time. ….Anyway, as I was saying, **ding dong- the bitch is dead!...** Nothing for you to fear anymore- no ridiculous visions about the future, no hallucinations, no….. nothing- which can only mean that we can see about our world domination plans in heavenly peace. So …shall we?" he said, offering her his hand, convinced that a refusal was out of the question.

 **" You killed her just to force me to come back to you?!** **Are you that deranged?!"**

"Oh, you have no idea. **I'd kill an army of Pythias if I had to** ….aaaand no, despite that note of negativity I can feel in your voice, I'm not trying to **force** you into doing anything, darling- I'm just presenting you an offer…."he announced, ignoring the look of consternation on her face.

" Oh yeah?! And what offer would that be, huh?! _Come back with me now or wait here for the Olympians to kill you?!_ "

She was a fast learner.

" Yeah. Did it work?" he nonchalantly inquired, silently wondering how long she was going to carry on with this charade…

" No…."

He huffed out a frustrated sigh.

" Well Princess… like it or not…"he commandingly began- only to be interrupted by her sad, disappointed line.

" Ares…you just don't get it, do you?! "

This time he yelled. That was it. His patience was running out- just like the time she had to train her soldiers for the siege of Corinth!

" Get **what**? That my star employee , my number one girl, **the woman with whom I was supposed to rule the world** dropped me like a nasty habit because of some fucking premonition she had?! Well excuse me for having missed the deeper meaning of this nonsense! "

Right when his voice was getting ready to reach an even higher note though, she simply turned around and left, way too hurt to still face him, way too emotionally devastated to sill be anywhere near him.

"Don't you dare walk away from me! Xena!" he shouted even louder, but she didn't bother to glance behind and though his first impulse was to stop her regardless of the consequences, he knew better… " ...What about Apollo and the rest of the raging Olympians?!" he yelled behind her, as if that could have made a difference.

No answer came though, and that's when it hit him...

"...Damn….this might just have been the worst idea I've ever had…" he mused, clicking his tongue.

In less than a blink, the War God disappeared from sight- there was no point in crying over spilled milk, after all….Several moments later though, for a fraction of a second, a very familiar blue light could be seen shining in Xena's room- back at the tavern. It disappeared just as fast though as if nothing had happened….


	9. Deja vu

On the way back home, the shaky shadow of the trees seemed to strangely fade from the background along with the hot dusty road stretching ahead and all the surrounding hills- an entire landscape obliterated by the crushing force of the God's words- that had managed to darken not only her reason but also the physical world itself….

" _ **I'd kill an army of Phytias if I had to….."**_ he had said, and, unable to block their constantly amplifying echo, the Warrior Princess stopped dead in her tracks and covered her ears for a few seconds, as if that simple gesture was all it took for her to turn her mind silent again…..It was a method that- just as expected- failed miserably, filling her with even more rage….

Indeed, her entire being was boiling with fury, not against Ares, not against his scheming and plotting, but against herself, against that soul decomposing feeling that made her want to scream her lungs out with each step that she took- for each new step pushed her even farther away from him and closer to a life she had never wanted for herself….Never before had she considered spending the rest of her mortal existence fetching drinks for men that were generally as stupid as they looked…It was beyond degrading...it was...unthinkable- and yet a reality she had consciously condemned herself to...

For the first time since Lyceus's death she felt helpless- helpless and weak….almost a coward actually to put it bluntly- and she hated every moment of it, just like she hated- with all her heart- those gods damned circumstances that had forced her to take that decision, throwing her in the arms of such a humiliating destiny that she would have loved nothing more than to be able to make herself disappear from the face of the earth...

Had someone seen her now- as she absently walked down that deserted road leading to the village, they would have easily noticed the panic and the tension engraved on her particularly beautiful visage….Judging by that slightly arched left eyebrow and the tightly pressed lips she was mad… **really mad** ….and though he wasn't the cause of her wrath, that didn't make her feel any better….The thing was that she knew him well enough to realize that it was not out of malice and definitely not out of revenge that he had cunningly backed her into a corner- framing her for Pythia's murder- but out of despair…Deep inside, even though he appeared to be still far from accepting that truth that she had so loudly announced days ago , he could finally sense that it was over….that she had meant it- that she was not going back to that life in which he had been more than present-….Consequently, he reacted, doing the only thing that he was able to do – and which was as low and as unfair as any sane person would have perceived it- he tried to break her will and bend what was left of it in the direction he wanted, silently hoping that from that point on, it was only a matter of time until things got back to normal again…..

Obviously, she couldn't blame him for trying- playing dirty was part of his job description after all and she had always known that it was in his nature to fight tooth and nail for what he claimed as his…It was no wonder then that his alleged betrayal didn't hurt much , simply because she didn't perceive it as such….

What was actually doing all the damage was the fact that- from the minute she turned around and left- she was well aware that going back to him was not an option….He couldn't possibly understand her reasons, that much of the story was true, but she knew better- she knew what she had seen and she knew what she had felt during those accursed seconds in which the dark secrets of that bloody future had revealed themselves to her, mercilessly turning her universe into ashes along with everything she had taken for granted up to that point….

...There was no way in Tartarus she was going to be the center of his life if that involved ultimately his death- The mere idea of being the ax that was going to eventually chop his head off was unbearable, and only thinking about it made her skin crawl….

Despite the doubts and the pain though, one thing was the hardest to shake from her constantly screaming mind….the unearthly beauty of that breathtaking little girl… **.their baby** …. **.their** own flesh and blood….his child with **her** ….Immediately and instinctively, those rapidly unfolding images sent her hand straight to her chest, pressing hard right over her heart where a new pang of pain caused a few tears to glide warmly down her cheeks…..

She angrily wiped them away as if by doing so, the ache itself would vanish as well, as if that undeniably shocking image of a strikingly helpless and mortal Ares- on whose flesh, fresh traces of a long, savage torture could be seen from afar- struggling to save them would also vanish along with them …The God of War sacrificing his life for her and their child….Imperceptibly, the rhythm of her heart changed at that thought, quickened in a way that left her even more agitated than before….

...By the time she finally managed to partly escape those haunting thoughts , she was already in front of the tavern door, and undeniably, the similarities with that accursed night in which she had decided to return were painfully striking to say the least…..- the same choking feeling of loneliness, of despair mixed with resignation….Her hand stopped on the cold metal handle without finding it in herself to enter though, as if waiting for something…for someone to save her, to take her away from that horrid place that she could no longer call home, but that had her trapped like a mouse- no way out, no nothing….

This time, what brought her completely back to reality, pulling her from that endless ocean of images she was drowning into again, wasn't precisely a slap across the face, but a warm hand on the shoulder…..The moment she turned around and her eyes met the fiery amber pair that was gazing at her, her breath caught in her throat and something inside her vibrated with need…It was like déjà vu…

" Excuse me….Do you happen to know if they still have rooms available here? I'm looking for a place to spend the night…..

She was flabbergasted…..

 **XXX**

Miles away from his stubborn protégée, the War God's mind was also wrapped around that same conversation they had shared, and his mumbling hadn't stopped for one single second ever since he left Amphipolis…..- unintelligible phrases most of the time, yes, but every now and then one could clearly hear a distinct **" ….gods damn it…."** , a **" should have handled it differently….."** or **" to Tartarus with everything I'm gonna drag her back to the Halls of War if that's what it takes!"** ….- a very Ares like one sided conversation, one might add….

For obvious reasons, the handsome Olympian was not only restless, he was nearly bursting with worry and frustration…She had seemed so distant during their little chit chat, so cold and uncaring that her behavior actually managed to scare the living crap out of him.

Suddenly though, as he finally took a seat on his comfortable black leather throne- resting his head in his hands for awhile in the equally vain attempt to stop that accursed dialogue from replaying over and over again inside his brain- a new feeling washed over his heart, making him literally tremble without apparent reason… **.Menaced** …that's what he felt like… **threatened** by something unexplainable….

He naturally frowned at this strange and rare sensation, and tried to push it out of his mind, as far away as possible….That was ridiculous…there was no reason for him to feel that way…no reason at all…..She might have been a bit distant that's true, but by Hades, maybe it was just a phase she was going through….Maybe he had actually done something wrong, maybe he hadn't fucked her enough lately….or who knows what in Tartarus was wrong with her…..

For the thousandth time that day, he started to go over the last weeks they had spent together…it had been a particularly calm period of their relationship, only a few minor disagreements over things that were otherwise unimportant- he concluded….What in the name of Zeus was still keeping her away from him now that Pythia was dead?!

He gulped nervously and materialized a goblet of wine in his hand when he realized that autosuggestion was no longer enough to numb his troubled spirit and that he needed something stronger...

Then, with a casual flick of his fingers, he opened up a portal. Despite the hurt and the freshly bleeding scratches she had left all over his heart, he needed to see her…. that would surely make him feel better…

"Show me my Chosen…"

...The goblet fell nosily to the floor the very following second, as, for a short but dramatically charged moment , the War God appeared to have lost all bodily functions….To say that he was **stunned** at the image he had before him, now that would be a terrible injustice since it didn't cover half of what he was feeling….He just couldn't believe his eyes….Once the shock began to wear off, a sickening, gut wrenching sensation in the pit of his stomach made him vomit instantly those few sips of wine that had comfortingly glided down his throat a little while before…..


End file.
